Latest news with #Mexican
Business Insider
11 minutes ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
I'm an American living in Mexico. Since Trump's election, I've been met with more curiosity and confusion.
As a travel writer, I've always been up for an adventure. People know that I don't shy away from taking a risk. So when I told my friends and family that I was moving to Mexico full-time after years of doing the digital nomad thing, their first question was, "Is it safe?" (Sidebar: It is.) But following the November 2024 election, their reaction is now more along the lines of, "I want to do that, too." Call it burnout, inflation, politics — whatever it is, it seems like everyone I talk to is at least flirting with the idea of relocating south of the border, perhaps exhausted by US news and the uncertainty of what's going to happen over the next few years. Around 1.6 million Americans live in Mexico. As someone who's lived here for several years — first as a frequent traveler, now as a legal resident in the Costalegre, a remote area south of Puerto Vallarta — I can say that living in Mexico as an American is complex, humbling, and full of lessons, especially when you're trying to maintain a full-time remote career. What it's really like to work remotely from rural Mexico Working from a small coastal town in Mexico comes with challenges. The wifi is a constant source of stress — video calls drop, power goes out, and upload speeds fluctuate wildly depending on the weather. I've learned to have a backup plan, like making friends who have Starlink or using my phone as a hot spot. Then there's the bureaucracy. I'm a legal resident of Mexico (a process with many hoops in itself), which you'd think would make things like buying a car or getting license plates easier. It doesn't. I've stood in government offices for hours, paperwork in hand, only to find out I needed a copy of something else, and that the copy shop closed an hour ago. Bureaucracy is frustrating in any country, but navigating it in a different language and culture is its own special form of character-building. The shift in how people talk to me about America I've traveled around the world for years, and being American has always come with some baggage. Sometimes it's a joke about our portion sizes; sometimes it's a polite, probing question about our gun laws or healthcare system. Since the November election, though, the tone has shifted. As an American in Mexico, I feel quite welcome; nothing has changed about how I'm treated by my Mexican friends or the people I interact with daily. What I do notice is more curiosity and even confusion. Both fellow travelers and locals want to know what's going on with US immigration, tariffs, and the rising cost of living. I've met many Canadian snowbirds who are feeling the direct effects of Trump's immigration and tariff policies. People balk when I tell them about the cost of eggs, New York rent, or gas in California. (They balked at those costs before Trump was president, too.) My Mexican friends joke about Greenland and Canada, asking me why Trump doesn't want to also make Mexico part of his "empire" — always said with a laugh and an eye roll. Maybe they feel comfortable joking with me because I'm never shy about making it known that I didn't vote for Trump. That tends to diffuse any tension and opens the door to a broader, more honest conversation about the world in general — women's rights, healthcare, LGBTQ+ policies, and whether we love or hate ChatGPT. Most of the people I meet share a similar mindset: We're all just trying to live peacefully, expand our horizons, and (for many) work remotely while doing so. What I gain from living and working in Mexico I start my morning with yoga or a walk along the ocean and take a midday break to practice my Spanish with my neighbors. I've traded after-work drinks for beach margaritas and community music night in town. Work — deadlines, meetings, and the occasional late-night scramble — is the same, but my surroundings make the day more meaningful. My work-life balance often comes directly from inconveniences like WiFi outages — when there's nothing you can do about the situation, why not take a leisure walk on the beach until things are up and running again? Living abroad also immerses me in a different way of thinking. In Mexico, people don't seem to live to work — they'd rather collect their paycheck as a means to enjoy time with family or to travel. That attitude is contagious, and I've become more intentional about how I spend my time. I've also become more patient, flexible, and creative — skills I've found to be incredibly valuable in my professional life. Rejection letters don't sting quite as badly these days; I've come to believe that when one door closes, it means another is about to open. Financially, it goes without saying that the US dollar stretches much further in Mexico. I pay $2,000 a month for a four-bedroom house with a yard and a pool. Monthly grocery bills cost what weekly grocery bills do in the US. Working as a freelancer, I don't have to hustle quite as hard. I miss some things about the States and may go back someday It's not perfect. There are days when I miss takeout, the efficiency of public transportation, or being able to call customer service and speak to someone in my native language. I miss the simplicity of online purchases and definitely certain foods (hello, New York pizza). I've also had to adjust to a general approach to time that is much more flexible than I'm used to — which feels liberating, until you're trying to figure out when your water and gas are delivered and how to flag down the truck that brings them. I accept those tradeoffs as part of the deal. You can't move to another country and expect it to bend to your way of doing things. The longer I live here, the more comfortable I get. I haven't ruled out returning to the US. There are parts of the country I love, and I wouldn't mind being closer to family. But it would have to be on my terms; I won't go back to a cubicle. And I certainly don't want to go back full-time before 2028.
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Major bank closing nearly 100 global branches
While it may not be the worst time in the world to be a retailer, it certainly isn't the best. It's probably fair to say that many of us were living in the worst age for retail about five years ago. Related: Famous retail chain closing more stores amidst chaotic new change At least as far as recent history is concerned, Covid presented something of an unprecedented disaster for retailers. As the pandemic swept through the globe, many businesses - both local and multinational - shuttered for some period of time. And some never recovered. The American Bankruptcy Institute reports that about 60% of businesses that closed during Covid did so permanently. And many more continue to struggle, even if they did make it to the other side of the pandemic. These numbers present a harsh reality for many retailers. Even if Covid is behind us, many of our habits have been permanently changed by the global event. It may seem like many of our activities are more or less back to normal these days. We still go out to dinner, see a concert, visit the beach, and travel to new or familiar destinations, and some of us still commute to work every day. More closings: Popular Mexican chain closing all restaurants, no bankruptcyIconic mall chain shuttering more stores foreverMajor gym closing multiple locations after franchisee bankruptcyAfter Chapter 11 bankruptcy, beloved retailer closes all stores But our daily routines and errands have more or less changed forever. Fewer of us go to movie theaters to see films, for example. And even fewer of us go to shopping malls for our everyday needs. Instead, we stream our movies from the comfort of our home, and we shop online for many of our household essentials. The same goes for banking, which fewer of us now do in person. Instead, many folks choose to carry out their banking needs online or via a mobile app, which offer far more convenient ways to do essential tasks like pay bills, deposit checks, and even apply for loans. This changing habit, however, has spiraled foot traffic levels ever downward. Which means it no longer makes sense for many banks to keep the lights on for a dwindling crowd. Related: Forget Rite Aid, another struggling drugstore closing down stores So Santander (SAN) has made the difficult decision to shutter 95 bank branches across the UK and Scotland. Santander, which is based out of Spain but has locations around the globe, has seen its e-commerce traffic skyrocket upward; digital transactions are up 63% compared to 2019. Conversely, in-person transactions are down by 61%. This comes after Santander announced it would shutter nearly 20 locations in the U.S., with most closing branches clustered around New England. "Santander Bank continues to refine its branch footprint and retail presence, including introducing new formats and investing in digital capabilities to better accommodate our customers and meet their evolving needs," a Santander spokesperson said of the closures. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All five members of missing Mexican band found dead near Texas border
The bodies of five musicians from the Mexican regional band Grupo Fugitivo have been discovered in Reynosa, a northern city along the Texas border, authorities announced on Thursday. The band, known for playing at local parties and dances, had been missing since Sunday. According to Tamaulipas state prosecutors, the musicians were kidnapped around 10 pm while en route to a performance venue in an SUV. The discovery of their bodies on the outskirts of Reynosa has led to the arrest of nine suspects, believed to be members of a faction of the Gulf Cartel, which maintains a strong presence in the city. While authorities have not yet disclosed the motive behind the killings, they have not denied local media reports suggesting the bodies were burned. Grupo Fugitivo performed Mexican regional music, a genre that includes styles like corridos and cumbia. Young artists sometimes pay homage to leaders of drug cartels, often portrayed as Robin Hood-type figures. It was not immediately clear if the group played such songs or if the artists were simply victims of rampant cartel violence that has eclipsed the city. But other artists have faced death threats by cartels, while others have had their visas stripped by the United States under accusations by the Trump administration that they were glorifying criminal violence. The last time the musicians were heard from was the night they were kidnapped, when they told family members they were on the way to the event. After that, nothing else was heard of them. Their disappearance caused an uproar in Tamaulipas, a state long eclipsed by cartel warfare. Their families reported the disappearances, called on the public for support and people took to the streets in protest. On Wednesday, protesters blocked the international bridge connecting Reynosa and Pharr, Texas, later going to a local cathedral to pray and make offerings to the disappeared. Reynosa is a Mexican border city adjacent to the United States and has been plagued by escalating violence since 2017 due to internal disputes among groups vying for control of drug trafficking, human smuggling and fuel theft. This case follows another that occurred in 2018, when armed men kidnapped two members of the musical group 'Los Norteños de Río Bravo,' whose bodies were later found on the federal highway connecting Reynosa to Río Bravo, Tamaulipas.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Migrant arrested over handwritten letter threatening Trump assassination may have been set up
An illegal migrant from Mexico who was arrested over a handwritten letter that threatened to assassinate President Trump may have actually been set up, law enforcement sources told The Post. Mexican national Ramon Morales Reyes, 54, was taken into custody in Wisconsin after an ICE agent received the death threat letter on May 21, the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday. But in a stunning twist, sources said a handwriting analysis has since shown that Reyes didn't pen the letter — and the actual culprit may already be behind bars. 3 Ramon Morales Reyes was arrested in Wisconsin after an ICE agent received the death threat letter on May 21. DHS Authorities are currently looking into whether an already incarcerated perp may have written the letter to set Reyes up because the migrant is an apparent witness in that person's criminal case, the sources said. 'The investigation into the threat is ongoing,' a senior DHS official said told The Post of the latest claims. 'Over the course of the investigation, this individual was determined to be in the country illegally and that he had a criminal record. He will remain in custody.' The Wisconsin Attorney General's Office wouldn't comment. The development comes after the DHS announced Reyes had been nabbed for allegedly declaring he wanted to 'shoot your precious president in [his] head' at one of his rallies. 'We are tired of this president messing with us Mexicans – we have done more for this country than you white people,' the letter read. 3 Reyes didn't write the letter, sources said a handwriting analysis have shown. DHS 'You have been deporting my family and I think it is time Donald J. Trump gets what he has coming to him.' The final line of the letter stated: 'I will see him at one of his big rallies.' Reyes was collared a day after the letter was received, DHS said. 'Thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars,' DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said at the time. 3 'You have been deporting my family and I think it is time Donald J. Trump gets what he has coming to him,' the letter read. AP 'This threat comes not even a year after President Trump was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania and less than two weeks after former FBI Director Comey called for the President's assassination. 'All politicians and members of the media should take notice of these repeated attempts on President Trump's life and tone down their rhetoric. I will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of President Trump.' Morales — who had prior raps for a felony hit-and-run and other crimes — entered the US illegally at least nine times from 1998-2005, according to DHS. He remains in ICE in Wisconsin awaiting deportation, DHS said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
15 new restaurants, cafes and a food pod to try around Pierce County
An ambitious cafe has opened downtown, an experience chef has landed in McKinley with an all-day Filipino restaurant, and pizza has returned to Proctor. These are just a few of the new places to eat and drink around Tacoma and the South Sound this spring. In our last edition of recently opened restaurants, we highlighted a cocktail bar in a coffee shop, several fresh faces on Tacoma's evolving Sixth Avenue, and a few spots in Fife and Federal Way. As we look toward summer, here's a look at new restaurants and food trucks in Pierce County. ▪ 921 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-797-8605, Kevin Lee has assuredly made a splash since announcing his new breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Tacoma and opening in April. You won't recognize the old Pita Pit, as the space now feels airy and bright, ready for you to dig into a biscuit sandwich, a slice of quiche, a salad, a pastry from the awesome Lobo Bakery or a fun flavor from The Common Cookie. Eggs are cracked fresh. Espresso hails from down the street at Naomi Joe Coffee Roasters. Folks have swung by and returned already for more. Let's hope this invigorating energy leads to more investment in this stretch of Pac Ave. Open Monday-Friday 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. ▪ 764 Broadway, Tacoma, 253-302-5296, Formerly Cremello Cafe, Bostwick Cafe's previous name has returned but again under new ownership. Cecile Lahti took over the downtown coffee shop in March and recently expanded to a full seven-day-a-week schedule. Find Caffe d'Arte coffee, pastries, light sandwiches, and lots of space and outlets to spread out and stay a while. ▪ 716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1680, Under new ownership since January 2024, downtown Tacoma's only still-standing brewery (for the moment, perhaps) is now serving food. Former Grit City Greens co-owner Sean Guay spearheaded a new in-house food truck, from which taproom customers — or anyone in need of sustenance — can order paninis, sub-style sandwiches and brats. There's also charcuterie boards, potato salad and grilled cheese 'dunkers,' if you'd prefer a nibble during trivia or to accompany your beer. ▪ 3511 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, At his new McKinley Hill restaurant, chef Gerold Castro blends years of hospitality experience with his Filipino heritage while honoring the many Mexican cooks who keep America's kitchens running. Dishes range from lumpia and crispy pork belly with guava-chili jam to mahi mahi or lechon and braised-pork tacos, from chicken mole to Filipino-style beef caldereta and pancit. Breakfast is served all day, including a longanisa burrito, ube French toast and lechon benedict, plus coffee and a full bar. Open Wednesday-Friday 11 a.m-7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. ▪ 2515 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253-301-2994, Fondi has been a well-loved name in Gig Harbor dating to the early 2000s and in 2019 became independently owned and operated. Chris Olson scooped up the former Millhouse (and before that, Europa Bistro) space in the heart of Tacoma's Proctor District for its second location of this new era, opening in April. Here a gas-powered oven churns out the same Neapolitan-style pies. The salads come in three generous sizes, there's a full bar and the place is family-friendly. Brisk business for dine-in and takeout is anticipated. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. ▪ 11101 Pacific Highway, Lakewood, 253-302-4564, This space near the Lakewood train station has seemingly been cursed in recent years, but its neighbors, Kko Kko Chicken and Los Cuervos, are busy destinations. VK has attracted a loyal following in the Lincoln District since opening in 2019, especially for its Northern Vietnamese specialties. Maybe these owners have the goods to hold strong here in Lakewood, too, which they introduced in early April. Beyond the usual, try the cha ca la vong (halibut cooked in turmeric, scattered with dill and served with baguette), grilled whole squid and cold duck salad. Open Thursday-Tuesday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (closed Wednesdays). ▪ 8408 Steilacoom Blvd., Lakewood, 253-495-5043, I Love Tacos first landed in Tacoma's East Side (716 E. 64th St.) and then added a second truck parked regularly in downtown Puyallup (203 W. Pioneer Ave.). This spring, co-owner Hugo Maldonado added a third truck in Lakewood, just east of Fort Steilacoom Park. Choose among asada, pastor, chorizo, pollo and tripe on tacos, quesadillas, mulitas and tortas. Other popular items include the classic California-style burrito, supreme nachos and the Love Asada fries. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. ▪ 2365 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, The owners of two mobile restaurants have teamed up to offer their Caribbean food through a takeout-only kitchen near downtown Tacoma. Abby Woods of Trini Plate, which you can also find on Saturdays at Proctor Farmers Market, and Karen Stringer of Bajan Station are serving Trinidadian doubles (baras, or flatbreads, with channa and your choice of sauces, including a tamarind chutney and Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce), halal jerk wings, pigeon peas and rice cooked in coconut milk, salt-cod fritters, handpies and more. Orders preferred directly through Square online, but you can also use DoorDash — delivery is available for a fee, but you can also avoid extra costs by picking up at the commissary kitchen. Ordering open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ▪ Waterfront Market, 5101 Yacht Club Road, Tacoma, The Waterfront Market near Point Ruston has a new tenant in the anchor stall next to the main entrance. Belly Smoothie Co. opened in May with a menu of smoothies (Sunny Dee, Jelly Belly, Thin Mint and Get Nuts among them), fresh juices, espresso drinks and matcha lattes. It replaced Zaya, a Ukrainian bakery and cafe, which replaced Dancing Goats Coffee Bar. While at the market, you can also check out Bobaholic Cafe, Wild Sugar Gelato, Eco Purpose Boutique, The Kind Bee and Co., Shugie's Jewelry and Gifts, and more local businesses. The smoothie bar is open Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ▪ Point Ruston, 5115 Grand Loop, Tacoma, 253-448-2145, The walk-up-only fish and chips counter from Wildfin American Grill is now open for the season. (Note that it sometimes closes in inclement weather.) Pick up a basket of Alaskan cod or halibut dipped to order in a beer batter, starting at two pieces for $15.59 or $19.48. The menu also features buttermilk-marinated, steak-cut fried calamari, crisp cod or banh mi-style seared cod tacos, and seafood chowder. Add a cup to any main for $3.99. Wash it down with a blackberry-basil milkshake or a soft-serve ice cream cone. Open Monday-Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Thursday-Sunday at 11:30 a.m., closing at dusk. ▪ Pind Kohala Food Pod, 1824 S. Meridian, Puyallup The owners of Little India and RJ's Burgers at Tacoma's Freighthouse Square have opened a food pod in Puyallup. Just south of MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, the outdoor food court hosts three trucks: one with a similar menu to Raj Singh and Rajinder Kaur's original Indian restaurant, one serving pizza and burgers with an Indian twist, plus a coffee shop called Mocha Stop. Open daily 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. ▪ 1128 E. 72nd St., Tacoma, Good Vibes Espresso added a seventh location to its series of coffee huts in Pierce County, joining three other Tacoma shops, two in Puyallup and one in Fife. Using Dillano's roasts, the shop offers your typical espresso drinks in many sizes — from a two-shot 12-ounce to a four-shot 24-ounce hot, and up to a whopping five shots and 32 ounces cold. Specialties include Hawaiian salted caramel with white chocolate, Lava Flow with strawberry and coconut, and Liquid Sunshine with pear, white peach and pineapple. Smoothies, energy spritzers and Italian sodas are available, as well as on-the-go food and pastries. Open weekdays at 4:30 a.m., Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 a.m. ▪ 8825 N. Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-432-4211, Chili Thai, which operates five other restaurants in Pierce and Kitsap counties, took charge of Gig Harbor Thai Cuisine this spring. The owners had been seeking a restaurant on this side of the Narrows, but closer to the bridge than their existing Silverdale outpost, for about a year, manager Paul Tuncheleeporn told The Gateway in May. They decided in this case to keep the existing Gig Harbor moniker but have expanded the menu to match their other locations. Importantly for the summer months, they invested in air-conditioning! Open Monday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at noon. ▪ 3550 Market Place W., University Place, 253-541-2744, This new shop from Wendy Schutzler and David Coldiron is a cook's delight in University Place and a great place to shop for anyone in your life who loves a good home-cooked meal. The Essential Pantry specializes in curated goods including a range of olive oils sourced from around the world, various vinegars for cooking and drizzling, and dried herbs and spices a-plenty. The shelves also are stocked with select kitchen goods like mugs, bowls, linens and cookbooks. Across from Whole Foods, next to Pearl Tea and Chambers Bay Distillery. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
